10 questions to ask before hiring an iphone app development company

Stepping into the world of iOS applications isn’t as easy as it seems. You can’t just barge into the iPhone application business without any earlier preparation or knowledge.

That is where an iphone app development company comes in as your rescuer. Despite some costs, an experienced iOS developer will know how to sail through the problematic tides.

But the question is how to find the right iPhone app developer for your project?

The answer lies in these 10 questions that you should ask before hiring an iOS app development company:

#1 What should be your part?

As mentioned, it is not easy to just barge into the iPhone development business and hit the bull’s eye. You have to do your part by thoroughly reviewing your needs.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the user is the king.

First of all segregate your audience. Whether you want the app to be designed for business or consumer? Based on this list down the key benefits the user of your application will be getting.

Most of the iPhone applications don’t see the sun of success because their UI isn’t user friendly. Add the features that your user must need. Unnecessary gibberish will disinterest the user.

Blueprinting the application shouldn’t be left for the developer. Do it yourself as you know the features you want. This will tell the developer how you want your application to work and will give you both an estimation of the cost.

Your need is the key to the lock your developer wants to develop the application.

#2 How does the portfolio of the company look like?

It is important to look in the portfolio of the iphone app development company you are approaching. Review the previous applications made by the developer. It will give you the insight of the developer’s approach, potential and user friendliness of the app.

User ratings and comments on the app should also be considered. Make a note of the ratio of positive and negative comments.

Contacting present and previous clients will give you the proof of authentication of the work that the developer has claimed to be his own.

A happy client/user is a happy promoter.

#3 How experienced is the company?

Always remember that cost of development for an iPhone app is never cheap. Be wary of companies offering peanuts like or sky-high prices. So rather than price, make experience your criterion.

Experience does matter. You will reap what you sow, so take it as an investment.

IOS developer portal is pretty difficult to get until you get a hold over it. A seasoned iOS developer is already familiar with all the tools and publishing processes. They can smoothly navigate through the process of iOS app development while in co-operating your needs with it.

It is better to invest in an already there company rather than a developer having bite-sized chunks of knowledge.

#4 Will communication be a part of the plan?

Communication is necessary when a business includes two parties. The quality of a project depends on the clarity of the communication.

Make sure the your hired developer is willing to have regular bouts of communication with you. It will help in creating a better understanding between you, clears the doubts and gives you insight of each others thought process.

Communicating will provide you with the development process of your application. You can demand for a change or addition in the project at the right time. It also helps built a personal relationship which can help you in future.

#5 Does your developer abide to IOS user interface guidelines?

Innovation doesn’t have boundaries. It is good to be innovative and unique but abiding to rules is important for your iPhone application’s success.

What most novice and many neglecting developers forget is the there are guidelines (iOS Human Interface Guidelines) penned by Apple itself. All these guidelines are made keeping user in mind.

Good application developers already know that Apple only highlights the applications that are well-designed keeping its user friendly guidelines in focus at its App Store, whereas poorly designed apps often get placed on the back-burner.

Content should have an upper hand over UI. The content has to be in deference to users understanding, clarity and the UI should be easy to navigate through and Top of Formnon-complex. Make sure the developer considers content as the Ruler and UI as the supportive Queen. Bottom of Form

#6 Are the designs compatible with different Apple devices and iOS?

You and your developer should decide upon the design compatibility of your application with the apple devices and their OS versions.

Great user experience should be the focus of your application.

Having the design that was made for iPhone, being stretched to fit over an iPad’s screen is the worst thing your developer can do to your project. Many new iOS app developers do such a thing. So always ask your developer to lay down different designs for different devices.

In addition to this make sure that the application being made should be compatible with different iOS versions and devices efficiently. The application should retain its design and functionality in all the combinations of devices and their iOS.

#7 Is having a timeline important?

“The early bird catches the worm.” This is why it is important to have a timeline to meet your deadline.

Time plays an important role in any application’s development. A less complex iOS application will take at least 6 weeks for its development only. More complex applications take months to get completed.

There lifetime cycle should include timeframes for prototyping period, development period, testing period and approval period (Apple reviews every app before approving it for its app store).

That’s not it. After the application is launched, developer should take support period to fix bugs and update the app based on the feedback the app got from the users.

#8 What legalities will be included?

Legal documentation is necessary in every business.

To have the rightful ownership of your application, have written legal documents like ‘copyright agreement’, ‘non-disclosure agreements’ etc. signed with your hired developer. This will also ensure the confidentiality of the project and will help maintain the uniqueness of idea, content, design of your application to itself.

Also draft written agreements for the payments and time frame to avoid conflicts in the end.

#9 Does your iPhone developer possess debugging skills?

Excellent debugging skills are a must for an iOS developer.

Lots of new developers don’t know the working of the tools that they are working with. Murphy’sLaw is a friend to all the apps. So when something goes wrong and it will, the novice developers don’t know how to tackle them.

It is necessary for the hired developer to know the process and importance of debugging. They should know how to do bug fixes and feature changes whenever they are required. This is how updates for apps can be made.

#10 Will your app get the approval from iOS app store?

All the iOS apps are subject to approval by Apple for basic reliability testing and other factors. Apple takes at least three weeks to approve or reject an application.